Syllabus
Feature Writing
Anthony R. Curtis, Ph.D. – Fall 2005
JRN 305-01 – MWF 11:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m. – Old Main 237
JRN 305-02 – MWF 12:30 a.m.-1:20 p.m. – Old Main 237
Department of Mass Communications – University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Course Description:
Practical experience in writing in-depth articles for newspapers and magazines as well as electronic and online media.
Course Goals and Purpose:
This course provides opportunities to analyze and write a variety of types of feature stories, with particular attention to understanding how good reporting and use of language can lead to a compelling and entertaining reflection of our society. Students will be able to write smooth, accurate, grammatically-correct complete stories that touch, entertain and inform a broad audience.
Course Objectives and Assignments:
This course is project intensive, fast paced, and tightly scheduled. You will write and prepare many assignments during the semester. They include at least three complete magazine articles as well as opportunity to write an optional fourth. Assignments also include presentations to the class and in-depth discussions with your colleagues in the classroom. In addition, a written journal and a query letter will be submitted. In-class article-editing and revising sessions will be held.
Your submissions in response to the assignments will be judged on quality of content, professional workmanship, originality and uniqueness, craftsmanship, organization, creativity, communicative value, technical aspects of your writings and presentations, and how publishable your writing may be.
Textbooks:
Friedlander, Edward Jay and John Lee. Feature Writing for Newspapers and Magazines. 5th ed. New York: Longman, 2004.
Goldstein, Norm, Ed. The AP Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law (With Internet Guide and Glossary). New York: The Associated Press, 2005.
Not only in this course, but also during the life of your academic degree program and in your professional career later, you should find it essential to stay up-to-date on current events, which change constantly. To remain up-to-date, you should read a major newspaper every day in addition to watching broadcast or cable news operations. For instance, you might choose to read the Charlotte Observer, Raleigh News & Observer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal or USA Today. You also should read a weekly newsmagazine such as Time or Newsweek.
As a media professional, how will you know and understand trends in newsgathering and dissemination? To stay on top of your field, you should read the professional weekly business journals such as Editor & Publisher (newspapers), Folio (magazines), Broadcasting & Cable (radio and television), or Advertising Age (advertising). These publications are in the UNCP library and all have affiliated websites.
Monday and Wednesday: 10-11:30 a.m. and 1:30-2:30 p.m.
In addition, Dr. Curtis frequently can be found in his office at other times during weekdays.
Office: 247 Old Main phone: 521-6616 email: acurtis@uncp.edu
Motto: S'asseoir aussi loin que possible du sac gonflable.
Course Schedule
NOTE: As we proceed through the semester, the exact dates listed below may change as more or less time may be required to complete topics. This schedule should be seen as a guide to course activities and expectations as of the beginning of the semester. Your professor reserves the right to amend the schedule, as needed, depending on work accomplished in class meetings and the needs of students enrolled in the course. Please complete each reading assignment prior to the day it is assigned so you can take part in discussions in class and apply the techniques learned from reading.
WEEK 1:
Friday 8/19 Course introduction
Monday 8/22 Familiarization with the magazine Professional Profiles
Wednesday 8/24 Begin your journal of feature story ideas
WEEK 2:
Friday 8/26 The Newspaper Feature Story - read chapter 1
Begin contacting Professional Profiles subjects
Monday 8/29 Feature Story Ideas - read chapter 2
Wednesday 8/31 Interviewing for Feature Stories - read chapter 5
Begin interviewing of Professional Profiles subjects
WEEK 3:
Friday 9/2 Interviewing a classmate
Monday 9/5 Labor Day holiday
Wednesday 9/7 Writing the Feature Story - read chapter 6
WEEK 4:
Friday 9/9 Quiz on chapters 1-2 and 5
Monday 9/12 Feature story on your classmate due
Writing the Specialized Feature - read chapter 7
Wednesday 9/14 Pembroke Day journal assignment
WEEK 5:
Friday 9/16 Class will not meet. Make up class 9/19. Continue interviewing of Professional Profiles subjects
Monday 9/19 Writing and Rewriting - read chapter 9
Continue interviewing of Professional Profiles subjects
Also today: at 2:30 p.m., make up class for postponed 9/16 class for section 1 and 2
Wednesday 9/21 The Magazine Article - read chapter 3
Continue interviewing of Professional Profiles subjects
WEEK 6:
Friday 9/23 Ten-minute reports on Professional Profiles interview results (1-3)
Monday 9/26 Ten-minute reports on Professional Profiles interview results (4-6)
Wednesday 9/28 Ten-minute reports on Professional Profiles interview results (7-9)
WEEK 7:
Friday 9/30 Ten-minute reports on Professional Profiles interview results (10-12)
Monday 10/3 Ten-minute reports on Professional Profiles interview results (13-14)
First draft of Professional Profiles article due with in-class revising and editing session
Wednesday 10/5 Second draft of Professional Profiles article due with in-class revising and editing session
WEEK 8:
Friday 10/7 Third draft of Professional Profiles article due with in-class revising and editing session
Monday 10/10 Researching for Magazine Articles - read chapter 4
Wednesday 10/12 Complete follow-up interviews for Professional Profiles article
Fall Break Oct. 13-14
WEEK 9:
Friday 10/14 Fall Break
Monday 10/17 Marketing and Writing the Magazine Article - read chapter 8
Final draft of Professional Profiles article due
Wednesday 10/19 Quiz on chapters 6-9
WEEK 10:
Friday 10/21 Legal and Ethical Considerations - read chapter 10
Continue your journal of feature story ideas
Monday 10/24 Pulitzer prize story analysis presentation 1-2
Journal of Feature Story Ideas due
Wednesday 10/26 Pulitzer prize story analysis presentation 3-4
WEEK 11:
Friday 10/28 Pulitzer prize story analysis presentation 5-6
Monday 10/31 Pulitzer prize story analysis presentation 7-8
Wednesday 11/2 Pulitzer prize story analysis presentation 9-10
WEEK 12:
Friday 11/4 Pulitzer prize story analysis presentation 11-12
Monday 11/7 Pulitzer prize story analysis presentation 13-14
Wednesday 11/9 Freelancing magazine articles
first draft of query letter due for your magazine article
WEEK 13:
Friday 11/11 Revise query letter, begin research and writing of the magazine article
Monday 11/14 Second draft of query letter due for your magazine article
Wednesday 11/16 First draft magazine article due with in-class revising and editing session
WEEK 14:
Friday 11/18 Freelancing magazine articles
Monday 11/21 Second draft magazine article due with in-class revising and editing session
Wednesday 11/23 Freelancing magazine articles
Thanksgiving Nov. 24-25
WEEK 15:
Friday 11/25 Thanksgiving holiday
Monday 11/28 Third draft magazine article due with in-class revising and editing session
Wednesday 11/30 Quiz on chapters 3-4, 8, 10
WEEK 16:
Friday 12/2 Last Class – reflection and renewal
EXAM WEEK:
Wednesday 12/2 Final exam period for JRN-305-02 is Wednesday, Dec. 7, at 11:00 a.m. in 237 Old Main
Final draft of magazine article due
Friday 12/2 Final exam period for JRN-305-01 is Friday, Dec. 9, at 8:00 a.m. in 237 Old Main
Final draft of magazine article due
Evaluation of Writing:
Generally, there will be no right or wrong responses to the assignments. Rather, your work will be evaluated subjectively by the professor, who will measure all writing on three concurrent spectra – content, organization and mechanics. These parallel tracks range from weak to strong.
Articles you submit must reach the assigned length and be typewritten, double-spaced, on one side of paper. The AP Stylebook must be followed. Appropriate professional journalism editing marks as shown in The AP Stylebook must be used. Be sure your name is on your work along with page headers and footers as approved by the instructor.
Evaluation of your written work will be based on appropriateness of content, clarity of purpose, clear and concise writing style, efficient use of words, grammar, spelling, mechanics, organization, preparation, proper use of appropriate journalistic style, and attention to deadline.
Attention to deadlines is extremely important. Hand in your stories by the beginning of class on the assigned day. Late assignments will be penalized 10 percent for each class day late. Articles will not be accepted one week after the due date.
Evaluation of Presentations:
You are encouraged to use a variety of visual aids in your presentations. Presentations must reach the assigned length of time. The presentation paperwork required for submission to the professor must be typewritten on one side of paper. Be sure to hand the presentation paperwork to the professor before delivering your presentation. Please make sure your name is on it.
Evaluation of your presentation will be based on clarity of purpose, organization, preparation, clear delivery, grammar, efficient use of words and audio-visual aids.
This is a 300-level upper-division journalism course. Attention to deadlines is extremely important. You must deliver your presentation on the assigned date.
The success of the seminar discussion style of this course relies on your full participation. You must make your presentations on your assigned days. And, it is just as important for you to view your classmates' presentations as it is to deliver your own. Please respect your colleagues and attend all in-class presentations. Non-attendance for the presentations of others in the class will be penalized.
Attendance:
Attendance is very important. Classroom communication is a process of sharing. Your observations, insights and analyses are valuable to the whole class. Your participation will be reflected in a concrete way in your semester grade.
The Department of Mass Communications has a mandatory attendance policy. This course is an important element of your preparation for a career in professional journalism, where you will be expected to understand and meet deadlines.
Class attendance will be checked in every class period and will be used in determining the course grade. Unexcused absences will affect your grade adversely. For instance, attendance records will be used to determine the grade of any student who is on the borderline between two grades. If such a student has 1 or no unexcused absences, he or she may be eligible receive the higher of the two grades, assuming all other circumstances are appropriate.
¤ Students with 2-3 unexcused absences will be penalized one letter grade.
¤ Students with 4-5 unexcused absences will be penalized two letter grades.
¤ Students with 6 or more unexcused absences will receive the grade of F for the semester.
There will be no option of doing an extra assignment to reduce or remove a penalty.
Athletes must discuss their game schedule for the full season with the professor at the beginning of the semester. If they plan to miss class for a game, they must notify the professor again before each absence to receive an excused absence. Athletes will not be excused from a class that ends more than hour before the bus leaves.
Students who plan to miss class for such activities as work, job interviews, job fairs, weddings, vacations, completing work for other courses, etc., must use their unexcused-absence cuts for those purposes. If you have problems attending class, you are encouraged to change your arrangements elsewhere that will enable you to participate fully here.
The following are excusable absences:
¤ Illness or serious injury, with a note from a doctor
¤ death in the immediate family, with a newspaper obituary clipping
¤ required appearance in a court of law, with a note from the clerk of courts
¤ catastrophic emergency, with appropriate documentation or official police report
¤ representing the college in an official extracurricular activity, with a note from the faculty or administrative adviser of the activity, or head coach, and the prior approval of the professor of this course because some extracurricular activities do not justify an excused absence.
Late arrival in class:
Students who arrive late to a class session should check with the professor at the end of that class to be certain that their attendance has been recorded. Students who arrive excessively late to a class period, or who leave class early, will receive either partial credit or no credit for their attendance that day. Students who are continually late to class will begin receiving no credit for their attendance on days they are late.
Late assignments:
Late assignments or makeup work generally is not accepted if there was no prior arrangement with your professor. You may not be permitted to make up any missing work unless it is for an excused absence as listed above. The professor may refuse to revisit material a student missed due to an absence. No late work will be accepted without prior arrangements with your professor who retains the discretion of whether to accept any of such work.
Grading Considerations:
Grades for each of your assignments will be based upon a professional standard. Although you may be writing your first feature stories in this class, the professor will evaluate your work according to its suitability for publication in a newspaper or magazine or on a news website whose standards correspond to the industry-wide norm.
At the outset, it is understood that your writing might be weak in content, organization and mechanics. The professor will take this into account and your semester grade will be based upon improvement and consistent effort through the semester.
Evaluation Criteria for Letter Grades:
¤ Excellent or A
Professional quality work. An insightful, relevant, newsworthy subject. Story involves the reader in its drama, humor, ethos or pathos. Technique is flawless with perfect content, organization and mechanics. Information supporting the story is complete and accurate. Wording is precise. The writing explores the story at different levels and does not simply make the same point from different perspectives. Publishable and distinguished. Nearly perfect grades on all quizzes.
¤ Good or B
Competent, functional story-telling. Journeyman journalism. Publishable. Clean copy that makes a significant point efficiently in support of the story. Appropriate expression of active, believable, moments that reveal a key person, place or event. Details are thorough and accurate. Writing mechanics and organizational technique are of a high order. The story is balanced. Better than average work on all quizzes.
¤ Acceptable or C
Average, run-of-the-mill story-telling. Probably publishable, but undistinguished. Properly written, but the content is average quality that may or may not be publishable. A feature story about a person, place or event, but which offers little insight into why the subject is newsworthy. Content is adequate to identify the subject, but poorly organized. Mechanics are good. Minimally acceptable work on all quizzes.
¤ Poor or D
Unpublishable work. A combination of flaws in conceptualizing, researching, organizing and writing render the work unsatisfactory. This is work, which with better planning and extra effort, might have been publishable. Less than acceptable work on all quizzes.
¤ Unacceptable or F
Not publishable. Decidedly unprofessional. Weaknesses in journalistic thinking, feature writing technique, and/or professionalism have resulted in a failure on this assignment. Inaccuracies and other content errors, poor mechanics, unpublishable organization, and/or missed deadlines have reduced the assignment to failure. Failure on all quizzes.
Final Grade:
You will be graded on these work elements this semester – one or more Professional Profile articles, revising and editing sessions, three quizzes, presentation of your analysis of a Pulitzer feature, a journal, a classmate feature story, a final magazine article, and attendance and participation.
Your final semester grade will be based on the professor's subjective evaluation of all of the work you complete and submit during the course. Attendance and enthusiastic participation form a significant portion of the semester grade.
Very important considerations include:
¤ perfection of written materials
¤ success of presentations
¤ punctuality on assignments
¤ participation in class activities
¤ attendance at class meetings
The grading scale used for this course is:
100-90%=A to A-; 89-80%=B+ to B-; 79-70%=C+ to C-; 69-60%=D+ to D-; 59% and below=F.
Student Academic Honor Code:
You have the responsibility to know and observe the UNCP Academic Honor Code which forbids cheating, plagiarism, abuse of academic materials, fabrication, falsification of information, and complicity in academic dishonesty.
Special Assistance:
Please see the instructor as soon as possible if you have questions or difficulty. Any student with a documented disability needing academic adjustments is requested to speak directly to Disability Support Services and the instructor, as early in the semester as possible, preferably within the first week. All discussions will remain confidential. Please contact Mary Helen Walker, Disability Support Services, DF Lowry building, 521-6695.